California launches probe after video shows petition gatherers offering money for signatures
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California election officials said Friday that they are investigating whether signature collectors in San Francisco illegally offered to pay people to sign ballot petitions using false names.
A video posted Monday on X shows a sign that says “Sign petition for $5” and a line of people waiting along the sidewalk. A woman sitting at a folding table appears to be instructing the name and address to use to fill out the petition. When the person recording asked what the petitions were for, the woman said, “Just sign it.”
The California secretary of state’s office said in a statement that it was “aware of, and investigating, the matter.”
In California, people can place measures on the ballot for voter approval by gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures. Campaigns can pay people per signature they gather, providing an incentive for workers to get as many as possible.
https://apnews.com/article/california-ballot-signatures-investigation-ff281756f9902a26e38ec51c55e97287